Advertisement

Photo Gallery: Beaches

Seychelles

North of Madagascar, off Africa's east coast, are the 115 islands of the Seychelles. The Indian Ocean paradise hosts many sun-loving tourists who fuel its economic engines.

Cape Town, South Africa

Photograph by Steve Bloom/Getty Images

The seaside resort of Clifton, near Cape Town, hugs the western slope of Table Mountain.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Photograph by Jose Azel/Aurora Photos

A drive around Massachusetts' Cape Cod serves up miles of beaches, restful resort towns—and, yes, lobster and clam shacks.

Coronado Beach, California

Photograph by Sunny Awazuhara-Reed

Steady waves along San Diego Bay draw surfing enthusiasts and novices alike, as well as crowds of tan-seeking sunbathers.

Cumberland Island, Georgia

Photograph by Fred Whitehead/Photo Library

Shells speckle the water's edge at Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia. The secluded barrier island gained fame after serving as the location of the secret wedding of John F. Kennedy, Jr., and Carolyn Bessette in 1996.

Fraser Island, Australia

Photograph by Andrew Watson/Photo Library

Clear waters lap the shores of Fraser Island—the world's largest sand island—just off the coast of Queensland.

Mykonos Island, Greece

Photograph by Gerhard Zwerger-Schoner/Photo Library

International travelers love the Cycladic architecture, unspoiled beaches, and vivid nightlife of Greece's most popular island, Mykonos.

Kailua, Hawaii

Photograph by Macduff Everton/Getty Images

Coconut palms line the shore in Kailua, along Hawaii's Kona Coast. The palms' lanky trunks support the heavy fruits dangling from their branches.

Maya Bay, Thailand

Photograph by Paul Quayle/Getty Images/Axion RM

After being devastated by the 2004 tsunami, the Phi Phi archipelago off the coast of Thailand has been restored to its pristine, idyllic state.

Harbour Island, Bahamas

Photograph by Ian Cumming/Getty Images

Clean Atlantic waters and a warm current from the Gulf create an ideal environment for aquatic wildlife and adventure-seeking tourists in the Bahamas.

Ocracoke Island, North Carolina

Photograph by Terry Donnelly/Getty Images

Tufts of grass dot the shores of Ocracoke Island, site of an early European settlement and still home to descendants of the pirate Blackbeard. Ocracoke is part of the Outer Banks, a string of barrier islands that draws throngs of sunseekers.